Home For Christmas
by Kelly2727
Summary: Andy left 10 months ago on an Undercover job, a job that was only supposed to last 3 months. She left before getting a chance to tell Sam how she felt so decided to write a letter. Little did she know that when she finally walked back into his life that he was thinking the same thing all those months ago and still is. Song included - Jon Bon Jovi's "Please Come Home for Christmas"


**Hi guys! I've decided to do a Christmas one short for Rookie Blue instead of a full story as the days are counting down to Xmas sooner than I'm sure we'd all like. **

**Summary: - Andy left 10 months ago on an Undercover job, a job that was only supposed to last 3 months. She left before getting a chance to tell Sam how she felt so decided to write a letter. Little did she know that when she finally walked back into his life that he was thinking the same thing all those months ago and still is. **

**Note: - I will be starting with a flashback and there will be a small twist as to why Andy never got Sam's reply. Also the song "Please Come Home for Christmas" by Jon Bon Jovi will feature in this. **

**Disclaimer: - I don't own Rookie Blue.**

Snow fell outside onto the street below as she sat on the windowsill looking out at the sky above. Andy McNally had lived in this apartment in one the most dangerous parts of Toronto since leaving 15th Division ten months ago. She left for a undercover stint that was only supposed to last three months, she left on March 15th and still found herself here on December 23rd. She knew why she left, she had to get away and come back ready to start afresh. She was sick of her life in that moment when she left but she had one huge regret. A regret she never knew she would have, until she watched the city streets fade into the background when the car she was in drove away. Still looking at the gleaming stars above, Andy let her mind wonder back to the day she left 15th;

_FLASHBACK_

_Sitting in the locker room, bag packed at her feet Andy had yet to still push herself off the bench and leave the station. Since her relationship breakdown with Luke a few months ago, she felt as though everyone was treating her as if she was going to break; even Sam. Sam Swarek had been her rock since joining 15th Division, everyone could see that something was happening between them but they always kept their chemistry locked up as best they could. Andy being Andy done what she thought was for the best and started dating Luke._

_Everything was going great, they were happy and Andy thought everything was perfect. That was until she found out that Luke was having an affair and had been for some time. With being a cop the news of their break-up and what had caused it spread like wild fire. Her friend's tried to comfort her as best they could, Sam even gave Luke a black eye one night at the Black Penny but Andy felt suffocated. She felt as though they were treating her as if she was going to break, like a china doll ready to smash into a million pieces at any second. Andy was stronger than that though, the pain and hurt she felt was more than she could handle but she had given her heart out to someone and once again had it broken._

_When the opportunity came to her for this undercover job, she knew she was taking it. It was the breakaway she needed to heal and become strong again. When she found out that Luke was the lead Detective for the task force running the operation she was determined not to let it faze her. She had a job to do and she was going to do it the best she could. _

_Now that the moment had come for her to leave, she was terrified. The time for leaving had been arranged so that none of her friends, not even Sam could see her leave. They weren't even allowed to know where she was going or when she'd be back. Banging from outside the locker room door made her jump but she quickly realized that she had to go. It was nearing 8am and the morning shift would be arriving soon, a shift she couldn't be around. Grabbing her bag, she left the locker room making her way to the back entrance car park. _

_The sun was late in coming up as she walked out into the fresh air, the black SVU waiting for her as she walked across the car park. As she got herself comfortable in the back seat, her heart sank as everything finally sunk in. The SVU finally pulled out the station and made it's away along the city streets. Looking back, she let a small tear run freely down her face the reality of her decision finally sinking in. She was leaving behind her home, friends and family. She knew she'd be back but it would be a long few months without them. As she turned back around, she rested her head against the back of her seat. Her heart ached but she knew she was doing the right thing. As more and more of Toronto faded away behind her, little did Andy know that someone had actually seen her leave. _

_END OF FLASHBACK_

People laughing and screaming out on the street below brought Andy back to reality. She missed everyone especially Sam Swarek. She hasn't been here long when something dawned on her sitting in a cafe at the end of the block, she loved Sam. Sure it might have took her a while to realize it but she loved him, she loved him more than anyone she had ever loved; even Luke. She knew now that she should have told him how she felt before she left but she couldn't. So she done the next best thing and wrote a letter spilling her heart out to him and asking him to wait; wait for like she would him. Begging Luke to make sure he gave it to Sam, she told him it was the least he could do for her. Luke promised and yet she was still waiting for a reply; she wrote that letter nine months ago.

Sighing and wiping away the tears that had fallen freely down her face, she forced herself towards the bedroom, she never once called it hers. She had just stepped foot through the door when her cell phone pinged of a text. Andy had no idea who would want her at this time of night as the bust that took place a few hours ago, she wasn't part of. Grabbing the phone she nearly dropped it back out her hand, as the words she read hit her hard;

**"Bust was the winning deal. You're going home tomorrow, pick you up at 2pm. Luke"**

Andy's heart was beating so fast that she was sure the person in the next apartment would be able to hear it. Those two words _going home _where the words she had been waiting on since the moment she left. Now it was finally happening, she was going home to her friends and family, she'd be back for Christmas. A huge smile came over her face at the thought of finally seeing Sam again but that was quickly pushed away by fear. She had never received a reply from the letter she sent. Swallowing the lump that had appeared in her throat; fear and hurt ran through her, what if Sam had moved on.

The Black Penny was abuzz with activity, people laughing, the jukebox playing Christmas songs and there was even people up dancing. Sam however just wasn't in the mood for Christmas this year, he was never really one for the holiday season but this year; he just didn't like it at all. Today was Christmas Eve and he was supposed to be having a drink with his friend's before they all went off and done family stuff over the next few days. But his heart just wasn't in it, in fact his heart hadn't been in a lot of stuff since the day he found out that Andy McNally had gone undercover.

The first day Andy walked into his life he knew it would never be the same again. The pull he had towards her to protect her from anything and everything was something he had never experienced before. He wasn't stupid he knew they had chemistry, everyone could see it and he knew McNally could too but she chose the safest route and that was to be with Luke Callaghan. He couldn't blame her, he was a bad boy, always had been but with her; he was different. The day he found out that Andy's heart had been broken he could have gave Callaghan a good beating but he didn't for Andy's sake. Then and there he made a vow to himself that if anything was ever to happen between them, he would never break her heart. One month after she left Sam received a letter from her saying everything what he had been hoping and wishing to hear. Her telling him how she felt, how he made her feel; bits and pieces about the UC but also asking him to wait. Wait for her to return so they could make a go of something between them, something that should have happened a long time ago. He wrote his reply and gave it back to Callaghan and then he started to wait. He waited for a reply of some sort to come back and also waited for her return. Nine months after he wrote the letter he was still waiting for both;

**"You my friend really need to cheer up, it's Christmas" **came Oliver's voice as he took a seat next to Sam at the bar. Sam knew his friend was trying his best but he just wasn't in the mood;

**"Yeah but it's not if McNally's not here" **he said quietly as he downed the whiskey that was in the glass. Oliver gave his friend a looking over, he could he was hurt, sad and totally in love with Andy McNally;

**"She'll be home Sam. She'll be back home for you, she said so in the letter didn't she" **Oliver stated, Sam hadn't told him much but he could read between the lines;

**"Yeah she told me and then asked me to wait. I replied telling her everything back and that I'd wait for as long as it took. But I'm sitting here Ollie, still waiting and still waiting for a reply back" **cameSam's small outburst before signalling the bartender which told Oliver that the conversation was over. Oliver done the best thing he could and left Sam to his thoughts, all the while hoping that Andy would hurry up and walk back into his best friend's life.

The noise of the gravel under the car wheels was a great noise to Andy's ears. It meant they had pulled into the car park of the Black Penny. She didn't bother asking why Luke didn't just take her straight home but he probably knew she would want to see everyone. As the car went into park, Andy looked around her; everything was the same, nothing had changed in the past ten months. Cars where already parked outside the Penny, she recognized all her friends even the big silver truck sat parked in its usual spot. Andy's heart picked up pace just the thought of knowing that Sam was just through those doors ahead of her;

**"You head in, I just need a few minutes" **Andy said to Luke as he moved to open the driver's side door. Luke just nodded as he got out the car; he didn't look back as he walked out of Andy's sight.

Walking through the door, this was the last place Luke wanted to be but he knew Andy well enough that she wouldn't go home without seeing everyone. Looking around his eyes landed on the one person he didn't really want to deal with but with the only space at the bar next to Swarek he really had no choice;

**"Whiskey chaser please" **Luke asked the bartender as he took a seat, one stool down from Sam. It wasn't even a second later that he felt eyes on him **"She's fine Swarek, she's..." **but before Luke could say that Andy was back he was quickly shut up by Sam's body right next to him;

**"Don't speak! I know she's fine because if she wasn't then you wouldn't be sitting there right now. I'm not stupid Callaghan I know you never passed on Andy's reply to my letter. And that's fine 'cause in my reply to hers I told her I'd wait, wait for as long as it takes for her to return. For her sake and her sake alone you're lucky I don't punch you in the face right now but when Andy finds out; let's just say she won't be happy" **and with that said Sam stormed off to the bathroom not bothered that everyone around them had heard his whole speech.

The banging of the door hitting the outside wall made Andy jump nearly ten foot in the air as she made her way towards it. It was then she seen Luke come storming out the doorway looking like he was ready to hit someone;

**"Luke is everything ok?" **she asked as she came towards him. Luke suddenly stopped to look at her;

**"Sam that's what the problem is. Who does he think he is? I thought I was doing the right thing by not giving you the letter. I mean that would probably..."**

**"Stop!" **Andy yelled loudly so Luke would hear her and shut up **"What has Sam got to do with anything and what letter? You're not making any sense"** Andy asked confused as to what could have happened within ten minutes of getting here. Luke studied her for a second and then realized what he had just said. He had let slip about the letter from Sam and didn't even notice because once again Sam Swarek had got to him;

**"I thought I was doing the right thing by you. Sam gave me a letter in reply to yours. I know I should have passed it on but I didn't. I'm so sorry Andy. I don't know what was said in it but from his speech in there he's been waiting and still is...for you" **Luke said the last few words quieter than his who confession but Andy was close enough to hear it. Luke stood and waited, waited for the explosion from Andy to come but it never. If anything she was still trying to process everything he had just told her. She looked confused, hurt, sad and yes angry. It was as if a light bulb had went off in her head, Luke knew the moment she had joined all the dots but still the shouting never came. Instead all he felt was a stinging sensation across his cheek before one very angry McNally stormed off and left him standing alone in the car park.

Andy was heaving and shaking with anger by the time she rested herself against the wall next to the entrance door. She couldn't believe that Luke could do such a thing after what he had done to her. She was left wondering why a reply had never came and yet now she finds out that a reply was passed on but never given to her. She knew Luke would never have read it, no matter what she thought of him but now she knew; she knew that Sam had been waiting all these months for her and still was. Taking a few deep breaths and closing her eyes to gain her composure she was finally ready to see everyone again and hopefully make Sam believe that she never got his reply. Pushing the door open it felt like only yesterday she had been here, the noise, the music even the smells; everything was the same. She found her friend's sitting at their usual table the moment she walked in but her eyes roamed the bar for one person and that was Sam Swarek. He wasn't sitting at his usual seat, instead her eyes found his back he was standing over the jukebox. From the back he seemed down if his slacking shoulders were anything to go by and never in the years she had been at 15th was he ever near the jukebox. She heard a squeal come from the corner and new instantly that it was Traci but she never came over, as if she knew who she was waiting on. Andy placed her bag on the floor as the door slowly closed, now she was waiting; waiting for the man she loved to turn round.

Time felt as though it was never moving but suddenly the song that was playing, stopped and another song started. Andy recognized it the moment it started it was one of her favorite Christmas song;

_Bells will be ringing the glad, glad news  
Oh what a Christmas to have the blues  
My baby's gone (my baby's gone) I have no friends  
To wish me greetings, oh once again_

Choirs will be singing silent night  
Those Christmas carols by candlelight  
Please come home for Christmas (please come home)  
Please come home for Christmas (please come home)  
If not for Christmas by New Year's night

As the song played Sam felt his heart break into a million pieces. He could wish of her to be home for Christmas even New year but he knew deep down that, that would probably never happen. Lifting his head he decided another drink was in order, turning he looked towards the door; another wishful thought on his part. Only this time his whole world stop. The brown bambi eyes that had him sucked in from day one were staring back at him from the other side of the bar. Everything was quiet, not a noise was made apart from the song still playing around them;

_Friends and relations send salutations  
Just as sure as the stars shine above (yes they do)  
This is Christmas, Christmas my dear  
The time of year to be with the one that you love_

Then wont you tell me, you'll never more roam  
Christmas and New Year (Christmas and New Years)  
Will find you at home  
There'll be no more sorrow, no grief or pain  
'Cos I'll be happy (happy) that its Christmas once again

As the song faded away into the background Sam and Andy had yet to take their eyes off each other. The look Sam had on his face was more that he couldn't actually believe that she was standing there. Andy wasn't sure what to do for the best, the room around them was still in silence;

**"Andy!" **came the squeal of her best friend Traci. Before Andy had a chance to register that her friend had even shouted Traci's arms were round her in a shot, nearly knocking Andy over. It was Traci's movement that made everyone get back to drinking and talking, making Andy more at ease; **"When did you get back and why didn't you tell me?" **Traci asked as she finally released Andy as the rest of their friend's came over to welcome her back;

**"Well I couldn't tell you because I only got back ten minutes ago" **she said with a huge smile on her face but her eyes kept wondering to the man in front of her.

**"So how was it?" **Gail asked, straight to the point as usual;

**"It was good...different" **Andy mumbled as she watched Sam slip out the back door **"I need to go" **and without giving anyone a chance to ask why she rushed towards the door leaving her back behind.

Running through the door so fast Andy was surprised that it didn't bang off the outside wall. Quickly scanning around her she spotted the person was needed the most;

**"Sam! Sam!" **she yelled as she rushed after him but Sam never stopped, he just kept walking; **"I never got your reply" **she shouted out and that's what finally got Sam's attention as he stopped and turned to face her; **"Luke never passed on the letter you gave him and I didn't know anything about it until I arrived back here. I know I shouldn't have sent the letter to you in the first place but I couldn't have stayed away another day without telling you how I felt and still do" **Andy didn't really know where this was coming from, she was just letting it all spill out before she lost the nerve to say anything else; **"I'm still waiting too..." **the last sentence trailed off into the silence of the night.

Both of them stood in silence, neither one knowing what to say after Andy's little speech. As the seconds ticked away Andy was finally feeling her nerves as she waited for Sam to do or say something. He had looked straight at her since the moment he turned around, his face giving nothing away. Maybe Luke was wrong, maybe Sam wasn't waiting for her and couldn't understand why she was telling him all this. Feeling defeated she finally gave in, letting out a deep breath; she turned her back on the man she truly loved and started to walk away.

Sam's mind was working overtime, in the past twenty minutes or so the person he loved more than anyone else in the world was finally standing in front of him and back in his life. She opened up her heart and told him all the things he wanted to hear, the waiting had been worth all the sadness. But now he was frozen, frozen to the stop and didn't have a clue what to do. He seen the sadness fill up in the back of her eyes and he caught the fleeting look of defeat flash across her face. When she turned her back and started to walk away Sam's heart starting thumping so hard he was sure she would hear it. As his mind finally processed what was happening he done the only thing he could think of and finally moved his feet;

**"Andy wait!" **he yelled as he rushed towards her. Andy heard Sam calling her name as goose bumps ran over her at just hearing his voice for the first time in months. As she turned she didn't get a chance to register that Sam was right beside her until his lips crashed on hers.

Time stood still, nothing but silence surrounded them as they finally shared their first kiss that actually meant something in the middle of the Black Penny car park. Andy couldn't tell you how long the kiss lasted for but she never wanted it to end but like everything else it did. Her breathing was a bit wayward but she didn't expect anything else since the kiss came from Sam Swarek;

**"I'm sorry...I just didn't know what else to do. I never gave up waiting Andy, still haven't. Even when no reply came back from my letter I still waited" **Sam said as he still stood with Andy wrapped up in his arms, foreheads resting against each other;

**"Why did you pick that song to play?" **Andy asked as she pulled her head away to look at him. Sam gave her a small smile, he should have known she'd ask about it;

**"Because that wish; I have been saying over and over since the day you left" **the moment the words left his mouth he knew he had finally broken something inside him. He was never someone to be open about anything but with Andy, things were different and being open and honest with her was something he will always do. Andy felt the tears fill up her eyes as those few words melted her heart; she knew she had loved him for a while but she knew she now loved him a whole lot more;

**"Well I'm home for Christmas and every other Christmas after this one so looks like your wish has come true" **she said with a huge smile on her face and once again she felt Sam's lips on hers. Cheers from behind them could be heard from their friends at the door. She was home for Christmas to be with the man she loved; she would never leave her home again.

**And so there you have it. I really hope you all do enjoy! Since it is my birthday today I thought I would give you all a wee special gift from myself! I hope everyone has a great Christmas and a fab New Year!**


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